An Apprentice Overnight
by Suiren Shinju
Summary: Same setting, different circumstances. When Miranda is killed in a carriage accident, five year old Sofia is impulsively adopted by Cedric who only after bringing her to his tower realizes he hasn't a clue of how to parent.
1. Chapter 1

Cedric the sorcerer arrived back at his tower with two bundles in either arm, one a planned purchase, and the other a soundly sleeping child he'd impulsively adopted and was only now realizing he had the care of an entire human person dependent on him. It wasn't some parental instinct that compelled his earlier actions, rather an empathy for the orphan's lot in life: her mother only dead a day and already a ward of the poorly village, he could see where fate would take her without intervention, and what an intervention it'd been.

He was walking through the village streets to return home hours ago when he witnessed the magistrate's entourage trying to pull the child from the home of the recently deceased woman, and for a child of no more than five, her little fingers were firmly holding onto the wooden door frame, crying and pleading not to be taken from her home, needing to be there when her mother returned. She'd be tossed in the orphanage run by the church of goodly, but financially stretched people and likely shipped out to a factory to do work only little fingers could to help put food in her belly.

He thought he was no more sensitive to the reality of the world than the other townsfolk, but as he paused a moment to watch the unfortunate scene, there was some kindred connection he felt from her eyes as she looked to neighbors for help, wanting to be wanted, wanting to stay in her home, wanting to just be a child and be with her mother. He could relate, he thought as his chest tightened.

Before he realized it, his feet were moving him forward towards the group, and Merlin's Mushrooms, was that his voice?

"I'll take her!" He announced, surprising himself especially as he pushed the men aside and directed the child to cling to him, which she did immediately, sensing her salvation in his arms and clinging tightly to his robe as he stood up to address the three individuals: the magistrate, and by Cedric's guess his secretary and the building's landlord. "I'll… I'll take her."

The three stared at him like his intentions were anything but noble.

"And who are you?" The magistrate countered.

"I, good sir, am the Royal Sorcerer of Enchancia, Cedric, son of Goodwyn the Great, and not at all one for this kerfuffle I'm guessing you're calling a repossession?" He said rather haughtily with a slight roll to his R's, his position hardly being much to boast about within the castle, but outside of its walls, he certainly wasn't a commoner and acted as such.

"The mum was killed yesterday in a carriage accident," the landlord explained. "She ain't got no father and that means I ain't got no rent. It's a pity an' all, but I can't let 'er be stayin' in the place neither."

"Certainly not, but there are gentler ways of doing things," he said, turning his head to the girl's laying upon his shoulder. "What's your name, child?"

"Sofia…" She said halfway between a whimper and a sniffle. Poor thing had been nothing but tears for hours, he could tell.

"Sofia, we're going to go inside and collect your things, alright? You're going to come stay with me for a while," he didn't know where this unusual tenderness was coming from, but he knew enough about trauma not to inundate her with big changes. Pretty lies would be necessary, and thankfully that was something he was proficient at.

"Uh, sir…?" The landlord watched as Cedric sauntered inside the cottage, pulling his wand from his sleeve and packing the contents of the home into his shopping tote. They were done in a matter of moments, but the true magic was in Sofia's surprise to see her house suddenly empty, sucked into the bag by a hungry tornado, and she found it far more fascinating than terrifying.

She leaned up in Cedric's arms, looking at the man in amazement and drawing a smile onto his face.

"Impressed?" He asked with a cheeky smirk.

Sofia nodded rapidly and kept her eyes on the sorcerer as they exited the cottage.

"Should any further inquiry need be made, you know where to find me," Cedric said to the men before finally making his way home.

Sofia fell asleep on the walk, a day's fatigue catching up with her. Cedric would have to wait to dazzle her with the sight of the castle when she woke up, but for now he'd put her to bed inside his bedchamber as he unpacked her entire house in a spare chamber: a bed she'd likely shared with her mother, a table and two chairs, a wardrobe already filled with her clothes, a small vanity with necessary toiletries, a chest filled with her toys, and a few other miscellaneous items.

He arranged the room as best as memory served, knowing familiarity would be key in acclimating the girl, but acclimating her to what exactly? He couldn't have such a young child running around his workshop, it was dangerous (even for him), and she looked to be too young for schooling… He couldn't shut her up in her room all day either, that wouldn't be any good at all. He suddenly felt in over his head, meaning there was only one person to call.

His mother, Winifred the Wise, popped through the portrait portal after hearing her son's desperate plea for her guidance, something she was used to, but this time found the circumstances far more interesting, and endearing, than she expected.

"The poor dear," Winifred commented from the bedroom door as she and Cedric peaked in on Sofia to make sure she was still asleep. "Heart wrenching though it may be, are you sure this is something you want to do? Raise a child on your own?"

"I think I got a bit ahead of myself, but I… I don't think I'm evil enough Mummy to put her in an orphanage…" Cedric admitted. "I acted on impulse for a reason. I ought to see if it was a worthwhile one."

"True, those split-second decisions are nothing to overlook," Winifred agreed with a knowing nod of her head before she looked up at her son with a proud smile. "Not quite how I pictured getting my first grandchild, but I suppose you marrying first was even more unlikely."

Cedric scowled as the stout woman chuckled.

"Well, you do have some pull in your position. You can probably offer her a much better life than she'd have had in the village, but don't constantly pawn her on the maids. Keep a schedule that allows you time with her and things should fall into place."

"Right. Schedule," Cedric repeated as Winifred pulled him down to kiss his cheek.

"And affection," Winifred reminded him. "If she's just lost her mother, she might be stand offish, so don't force it too much, but don't leave her be either."

"R-Right," Cedric blushed, slightly uncomfortable with the idea seeing as he wasn't the sort of man to smother others with hugs and kisses like his mother did.

Winifred left as quickly as she came, leaving Cedric to finish a letter to teleport down to the head of staff, Baileywick the Butler, to inform him of the addition to his tower. He just finished poofing the rolled up parchment when he heard a soft yawn behind him and turned to see Sofia wandering toward him.

"Mr. Sorcerer…?" She called out to him, rubbing the sleep from her weary eyes.

"My name is Cedric, Sofia," he introduced himself while the raven perched on the perch between them puffed out his feathers and cawed, startling the girl.

"Eek!" Sofia scurried over to Cedric and hugged his legs.

"And that's Wormwood, my raven. He's harmless," he gave her head a reassuring pet as she looked back at the raven who gave another caw at her.

"Hello, Wormwood," she nodded her head to him, which seemed enough to please the bird as he averted his eyes from her and adjusted his hold on his perch.

"Now, I imagine you're hungry," Cedric changed the topic and shifted her attention back to him.

Sofia nodded her head slowly and uncurled her fingers from his robes to allow him to stand up.

"Very good. Our trays will be up shortly, but first, I have something to show you," he told her as took her hand and led her back to the chamber he'd fashioned into her own bedroom, complete now with a cozy fire burning in the fireplace and a large conjured carpet between the furniture and the cold stone floor. "Is it to your liking?"

"Your home is made of stone?" Sofia said curiously as she let go of his hand to explore the chamber.

"Mostly," he said with a chuckle. "If you'd prefer a wooden chamber, I can cast the necessary spell work."

Sofia shook her head. "No, I like it!"

"I think you'll like the view better," he said with a smirk, approaching the windowless stone walls and counted a few stones with the tip of his wand before casting a spell that created a window for her, putting the grandeur of royal castle at sunset on display for her.

Sofia gasped loudly and raced to the sill, her eyes wide as saucers and her mouth dropped in disbelief. "You live right by the castle, Mr. Cedric?!"

"It's where the Royal Sorcerer has always taken residence," he answered with a smug grin. Granted children were easy to impress, but he took delight in the five-year old's boost to his ego regardless.

"Oh wow! This is ah-mazing!" She said, bouncing up and down on her feet in excitement before looking up to him. "You're so lucky, Mr. Cedric!"

Cedric had never considered himself all that fortunate, but compared to her, it seemed life had been kind. An orphan at all of five years old with no other family to claim her and raise her didn't put the odds in her favor for a successful adult life, but why should he care about that? Her story wasn't uncommon, tragic though it was, these things did happen. He was usually so wonderfully callous to the rest of the world, what made this child different?

A knock from the interior of the room caught his attention, followed by the calling of the butler. "Cedric! Get down here at once!"

"Seems Baileywick himself came to deliver dinner," Cedric said out loud and directed Sofia to follow him as they went back down to the workshop where a maid was placing their trays on the table while the lean, graying haired butler stood with his arms folded behind his back looking either cross or impatient.

Baileywick looked up as the two came down the stairs, his eyes widened to see that the girl Cedric wrote him about a mere half hour ago was indeed real and not a prank – not that Cedric was the sort to pull pranks, but the idea of the cranky sorcerer taking pity on a child was more unbelievable. "And yet you won't entertain the royal twins unless ordered."

"I'm not doing a show, Baileywick," Cedric stood in front of the butler, arms crossed in preparation for sarcastic rebuttal.

"Hi!" Sofia waved to Baileywick before doing her best little curtsy. "I'm Sofia!"

"And hello to you, Sofia," Baileywick's frown turned into a smile as he addressed the child. "I'm Baileywick, the castle steward."

"Nice to meet you," Sofia smiled, her young mind now thoroughly distracted by the knowledge she was in a real princess palace.

"A pleasure to meet you as well," Baileywick nodded. "Sofia, do you want to stay in this tower with Cedric?"

"Why wouldn't she?" Cedric interrupted, drawing Baileywick's attention back to him.

"This isn't exactly the best place to raise a child."

"It may not be lavish, but it's practical. I spent most of my childhood in here."

"Yes, and look how you turned out," the steward quipped. "I meant we can put her up in the servants' quarters to have the maids look after her, at least until we can find her a proper home."

"I can't stay here…?" Sofia piped up, scooting closer to Cedric's leg and grabbing a fistful of his robe.

"Err, well, it's just we staffers are quite busy, Sofia. Cedric included."

"I-I can be busy too!" She offered. "I'm really good at cleaning my room, my mom said so!"

Cedric put his palm to the top of her head as if silencing an alarm clock effectively calming the child. "Listen Baileywick, let's sort out the details at another time. She's been through enough. I'm sure I'll have my hands full, but it's not like she's an infant."

"And I worry you're grossly underestimating early childhood development. You aren't exactly the 'fatherly' type."

"I'm well aware of my lack of experience—"

"It's your lack of delicacy," Baileywick corrected.

"Would ya like to have some dinner, Lil Miss?" A female voice whispered behind Sofia and she turned to see the maid motioning for her to come to the table while the two men bickered.

Concerned for her fate, but far more hungry, Sofia approached the table and let the maid help her up onto Cedric's stool in order to have at the plate of food under the cloche. She was nearly finished by the time Cedric and Baileywick finished their 'discussion' and the steward left. Cedric pulled up his other chair to the table and heaved a sigh as he removed his own cloche to finally eat his own dinner and dismiss the maid, insisting he wouldn't require her assistance.

"So what all does a Royal Sorcerer do, Mr. Cedric?" Sofia asked as she sat shifting back and forth on the stool watching Cedric eat.

"Well," he said after a swallow of mead – and gods did he need it after today. "Primarily most of what I do is personal research and spell development, but should the king require anything, I'm to be on call to prepare or more likely to perform a spell."

"Perform?"

"Like a common street magician," he grumbled. "Fifteen years of sorcery school and I might as well be pulling rabbits from hats."

"You have a rabbit too?!"

Bless this child's innocence, he thought with a sigh. "No, there's no rabbit. It's an expression."

"Oh," Sofia said like she understood, although Cedric could tell his meaning wasn't quite comprehended.

"What about you?" He asked, figuring the best way to place the child was to ask after her usual habits. "What busies the life of a little girl like yourself?"

"Me? I help my mom—" Her words abruptly stopped and her hands curled the material of her dress at her knees. "…Mr. Cedric, do dead people ever come back…?"

"…No," he said as delicately as he could. There were some darker spells that dealt with the soul and afterlife, but physically resurrecting a body with its proper soul wasn't possible, or recommended. The dead are meant to rest, and he wasn't about to disturb them.

"Then I'll never see her again, will I?" She asked quietly, tears swimming in her eyes again.

"That's…" Merlin's mushrooms, what was he supposed to say to that? He ran a hand up through his bangs, trying to think while his eyes glanced over at his parents' portrait, specifically on his own mother's likeness. He lowered his hand onto the top of her head and gave it a little pat. "It's a bit complicated for me to explain, but your mother is not 'gone', Sofia, not as long as you remember her."

She looked up at him, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. He wasn't sure if she understood because she didn't say anything, just wiped her tears before crawling onto his lap and putting her small arms around his middle. She really had a tight grip for one so small, but he accepted the discomfort and hesitantly hugged her back.

"You'll be alright," he tried to assure her with a gentle pat to her back. Whatever was he going to do with her?

His saving grace was Sofia's obedience. Whomever her mother was, she'd clearly been doing everything right to raise such a well behaved child. She got up on her own, dressed on her own, kept herself entertained with her toys and crayons, fed herself, got ready for bed all on her own and wasn't at all insistent he tuck her in or read to her or any rituals he might have expected the girl to have. In fact, she hadn't asked him for anything since she arrived. He found it curious, but didn't visit the thought until a few nights passed and he'd been awakened by Wormwood pecking at his forehead.

"Neptune's nettles, Wormy, what is it?" Cedric shooed the bird away in a groggy voice as he pushed himself upright, the raven landing on one of his propped up knees and cawing with his head turned to the door.

The two were quiet a moment as the sound of soft sobbing permeated through the wooden door to Cedric's bed chamber. He was up in an instant and down the hall to the next chamber. He knocked before entering, which caused the crying to cease and the little figure curled up in bed to go still – pretending to sleep.

"Sofia?" He called out to her as he approached her bed and sat on the edge. "Don't pretend with me, child. I know you're awake."

He saw her eyes open in the low light and she sniffled again, clinging to her bed pillow tightly. "I'm sorry I woke you… I'll try to be quiet…"

"That is not my concern," he said flatly.

She turned her head into the pillow, whimpering some more until Cedric picked her up and replaced the pillow with his shoulder.

"If you need to cry, then do so," he insisted. "You'll feel better if you don't keep it all bottled up inside."

"But I…"

"No arguments, young lady," he scolded like a parent, actually feeling some relief when she did let herself cry into his shoulder. He felt every bit the fool for believing she was adjusting fine on her own. She probably didn't feel like she could rely on him, something he was used to, but under these circumstances she'd have to learn, as would he. He wouldn't be much of a parent at all if she never wanted or asked for anything and simply tried to stay out of his hair. Children were supposed to be a bother and the fact that Sofia hadn't been should have sent up more warning flags that she wasn't doing well at all.

Figuring the familiarity of the bed she once shared with her mother wasn't doing the girl any favors, he carried her back to his, much to the annoyance of Wormwood who was awakened again from the shuffling about and the child's whimpering.

"Don't give me that look Wormy, you can perch anywhere," Cedric told the bird who promptly turned tail and flew out the open window to find a more peaceful location.

Cedric drew his wand and relit the fire in the fireplace as well as the candles throughout the room as he approached one of his room's bookshelves to find something appropriate to read. He didn't have anything specifically for children, but he recalled finding enjoyment in the recitation of spell books when he was a child, so perhaps Sofia would have a similar interest. He plucked a book off the shelf with one hand while the other carried his wanted burden and then crawled back into bed, using his magic to fluff up the pillows behind his back as he sat up.

Curious to what he was doing, Sofia peaked her head up from his shoulder, sniffled, and glanced down at the now open book with its pretty calligraphy and strange etchings.

"A Potion for Fire Immunity," he read aloud. "Ingredients: Two salamander tails. Ten dragon scales. Three ounces of phoenix ash…"

Sofia kept her head reclined against Cedric's shoulder as she listened to him read through spell after spell, intrigued by their usage, but her body too tired to keep awake.

Quite proud of himself, Cedric read on a little while longer to make sure she was soundly asleep before extinguishing the lights and allowing himself to drift off to sleep.

* * *

Author's Note: I know Cedric is a bit out of character, but such liberties had to be taken for this story idea to work.


	2. Chapter 2

"Mr. Cedric," Sofia whispered near the left side of him as he began stirring with the rays of morning sun drifting in through his window as well to wake him.

Cedric groaned and draped an arm over his eyes to guard against the brightness, but the cherub like giggle of his adopted child all but guaranteed he wouldn't be sleeping in this Sunday. "Sofia… it's too early… Go back to bed…"

"But you said you were gonna take me around the castle today," she reminded him, her tone pleading for him to hurry up and honor his word. "I'm too excited to sleep anymore."

"Of course," Cedric grumbled as he sat up to both stretch and yawn before noticing those big blue eyes were still focused intently on him. "…Well? What are you waiting for? Go get dressed."

"Yay!" She jumped up and off the bed, her bare feet lightly smacking against the stone floor as she ran back her chamber to change, leaving Cedric to do the same.

He heaved a sigh, one both of annoyance and relief. Granted, he didn't share the child's enthusiasm for such things such as early mornings and castle tours, but at least she was starting to accept him in the role as her guardian. He knew it would take a lot longer than five days for her to adjust, not to mention he still had to figure out what to do with her all day, but all factors considered, the transition was going better than he expected.

"I'm ready!" Sofia announced, running back to Cedric's room as he was finishing adjusting his tie in his mirror. She wore her short green dress again, minus the apron, and had attempted to do something with her hair with a hair tie and ribbon.

It looked a mess and Cedric couldn't help but chuckle and beckon her him. "As much as I appreciate your commitment to your independence, you do still need help with your hair, my dear."

"It doesn't look good…?" Sofia questioned as Cedric untied the ribbon and band before taking his own brush to it, smoothing the locks along her natural part.

"It was a good attempt, but you need more practice," he told her, gathering the coppery tresses towards the back of her head and tying it up high. He then threaded the green ribbon to the side of the ponytail and tied the bow off as nicely as he had his necktie. "There, that's better."

"Lemme see," Sofia insisted and Cedric obliged, picking her up so she could see her reflection in his mirror. She smiled, quite happy with the modest ponytail. "Hehe! Thank you, Mr. Cedric!"

"You're welcome," he said as he set her back to her feet. "Now, let's pop by the kitchen first and have breakfast and then we'll begin the tour, okay?"

"Okay!" Sofia trailed after him as he left his room, sans robe (he wanted it understood he wasn't on duty today), and followed at a step behind the entire time.

The cook and his staff were too busy preparing the royals their own breakfasts that they barely noticed Cedric grabbing two apples and a large croissant he promptly tore in half and gave one to Sofia while the other he immediately popped into his mouth. They ate on the go, Cedric not really having a defined route in mind for an official tour, but figured the throne room would a suitable enough place to begin while the royals weren't there yet. He sliced the apples with a spell before once again giving Sofia her share as they made the journey and were both nearly finished by the time they arrived.

From the throne room, they proceeded to the ballroom, Cedric pointing out what rooms he knew and which ones even he was unsure of. He doubted Sofia would be able to remember the layout of the castle after only one tour, but at least they made a full morning of it before continuing the tour outside in the gardens after a quick lunch under one of the gazebos unaware they were about to be interrupted.

"Cedric?" King Roland II's voice made the sorcerer choke on his sip of tea the instant it bounced off his ear drums.

Cedric whirled around in his chair to find the royal family and Baileywick approaching the two, Queen Olivia walking her children on either side of her. "Y-Your majesties!"

Sofia had her mouth full as Cedric turned to her and with wide eyes told her to stand and curtsy. She quickly did as she was told, giving her best curtsy as she swallowed the food in her mouth so she could give a proper smile as well.

"So it's true what Baileywick said," Olivia said as she bent down to get a better look at the little girl. "Hello there, I'm Olivia. What's your name?"

"I'm Sofia, your majesty," Sofia said with another bow of her head Cedric didn't need to prompt her for.

"It's nice to meet you, Sofia. These are my children, Amber and James."

"Hi!" James waved with a big grin while Amber shied behind her mother's dress with a small 'hello'.

"I-I-Is there something I can do for your majesties?" Cedric asked, figuring they wouldn't have crossed the yard for mere niceties.

"Mostly settling our curiosity, along with taking advantage of this lovely weather," Roland explained. "And I have to say, I'm surprised to see you out of your tower and robes no less. It's like sighting a mystical creature."

"Yes, as I have so much in common with sugar-winged pixies," Cedric said with thick sarcasm that went straight over Roland's head.

"No doubt it's because of this little one," Roland gave Sofia a kind smile and she smiled back. "How surprising of you, Cedric. I never would have suspected you were looking to adopt."

"O-Oh, well, you know, my prospects being what they are and all…" The sorcerer laughed nervously, not really sure how he was supposed to engage in casual conversation with the king of the entire realm.

"What? Winifred hasn't set you up on any more blind dates?" Roland laughed with no ill intentions, but Cedric felt them all the same. "But is this really a wise idea, Cedric? Being a single parent isn't easy."

Cedric frowned, wondering how many times he was going to have this conversation. "I'm well aware of the difficulties, sire, but I'm perfectly capable of meeting her needs."

"I certainly hope so. To be both a king and a good father means to put your people's and children's needs first," Roland explained some where between a boast and a lecture, Cedric wasn't sure, but either way he was annoyed and grateful when Queen Olivia put a hand to Roland's shoulder and suggested they continue their walk to which the king agreed meanwhile Cedric was now in a bit of a mood and in no desire to meander through the gardens with the royals about.

"But Mr. Cedric…" Sofia whined as he marched back to his tower, giving the girl no choice but to follow him if she didn't want to get lost.

"Another time, Sofia," he grumbled and avoided talking to her the rest of way to the tower where he promptly slumped over his desk and contemplated what he should work on to feel better.

Sofia knew something was wrong, but got the sense he didn't want to talk about it if asked. She paused by the red curtains that separated his living quarters from the workshop and watched him open of his spell books and began muttering off the list of ingredients.

Wanting to be helpful, she walked back into the room and stood behind him, listening for something she recognized and knew the location of. The potion cupboard was the easiest one in reach, and he just needed a couple beakers and a flask. The empty brewing supplies were kept on the top shelf and were easily plucked up by little hands and carried over to the table where she slowly stood on her tiptoes and reached up to set each one.

Cedric only noticed on the third glass item and turned to glance down at her, his gaze scolding, but gentle. "You aren't supposed to touch anything in this workshop, Sofia."

"I'll be careful, Mr. Cedric, I promise."

"Promise or not, it's dangerous – and I'll not give anyone cause to think me an unfit parent. Go to your room and play."

"But I want to help. I helped my mom cook dinner and stuff. I'm a great fetcher and holder."

"It's not necessary," Cedric informed her, pulling out his wand from his sleeve to flick and summon the rest of his necessities to the table.

"Oh…" Sofia's head dropped in disappointment.

"Run along now," he encouraged, ushering her back through the curtained doorway.

"…Okay…" Sofia nodded sadly and went as she was told, but she didn't really feel like playing. All she wanted to do was crawl up on her bed and sleep away these bad feelings, but after a few minutes of tossing and turning, she realized she wasn't tired enough for such an easy solution.

So, she slipped off the mattress and onto the floor and pulled out her coloring utensils and turned to a blank sheet in her sketchpad. She was hesitant at first with her idea before determination to see it through took over and she began drawing, taking her time to make it her best drawing ever since she planned on giving it to Cedric when she was finished.

It took her a good hour before she was satisfied with the details and hurried back down to the workshop to show him. "Mr. Cedric!"

A small explosion answered her from beyond the curtain and Sofia gulped as she pulled it back to find the sorcerer and his raven caked with soot and their hair and feathers blown back.

"A…Are you okay?" Sofia asked slowly.

"Peachy," Cedric said sarcastically, brushing off the soot and tousling his hair back into place while Wormwood simply fluffed himself out a few times to fix his appearance. "What is it?"

"Um, I made you something," Sofia stepped toward him holding out her sketchpad which he begrudgingly took to examine if it'd get her out of his hair sooner.

However, he paused upon seeing the child's drawing of what was clearly him and Sofia with a crudely drawn castle and tower behind them, a black bird flying in the sky that he assumed was Wormwood, and a bunch of pink and red hearts surrounding it all.

"It's our first family portrait," Sofia explained, rising up on her tiptoes and clutching the robe material at his thigh to keep herself up as she pointed. "See? That's you, and that's me, and there's Wormwood, and there's the tower."

Cedric's frown melted into a smile and he moved his hand over to the girl's head, rubbing it affectionately and earning a giggle from her. "Thank you, Sofia. I'll have to get it framed so we can hang it up properly."

"Really?!" Sofia beamed, now trying to crawl up onto his lap which Cedric finally helped with.

"Sorry if I seemed cross with you, Sofia," Cedric apologized, nodding his forehead against hers and heaving a sigh. "I don't deal with certain things very appropriately…"

"Did the king really say something 'bad' to you?" She asked, able to put two and two together better than Cedric expected.

"It's not that it was 'bad', but… oh, I don't know… It had me thinking maybe… maybe you'd be better off in a home with a mother and father. I shouldn't keep you because of my own selfishness. If I really wanted to make you happy, I…"

"You don't want me…?" Sofia's voice turned shaky.

"No!" Cedric hugged her closer before those thoughts could sink in any deeper. "I want you! I haven't a clue why, but what… what do you want, Sofia? I'm sure we could find you a really nice family, one that would know what more to do with you than I do."

"I wanna stay with you…" She whimpered, clutching his robe tightly. "Please…"

"Done," he smiled. "Then we'll never speak of it again, alright?"

Sofia nodded her head into his shoulder before snuggling into him as close as she could.

Cedric chuckled and released her to pull open the lapels of his robe. "Here. Crawl in."

"Huh?"

"It's magic," he winked and watched as Sofia stuck a hand towards his burgundy vest only to watch it slowly vanish. "It's a pocket dimension for storing all my magic knick-knacks when on the go."

Sofia's eyes lit up and she dove right in. "Fun!"

Cedric adjusted the lapels just as Sofia's head alone popped up under his chin.

"Can I watch you work?" She asked.

"If you insist," he chuckled, figuring it would safe enough as she could easily turtle her head back into the dimension if need be. Besides, the lavender scent from her hair was soothing to his senses, returning him to a calm that didn't lead to any more accidents that day.

* * *

Author's Note: It's just so frickin' cute, isn't it?


	3. Chapter 3

Despite all of Cedric's care into making sure Sofia understood nothing in his workshop was to be touched, for the rest of the summer, she proved her claim to be an excellent fetcher and holder (nothing volatile of course, he wasn't that careless). What was strange to Cedric was the child's desire to want to assist him, preferring potion work over play most days. Her enthusiasm was a breath of fresh air into his darkened workshop and infectious to the point he was even looking forward to putting on a magic show for the royal twins' birthday since Sofia would be in attendance. Maybe it became more of a show for her, not that it was obvious, but seeing those blue eyes widen and her mouth curve into an agape smile stirred something deep within his soul he thought was long since dead: a sense of wonder.

Soon he'd be sending her off to school to expand her mind further, September now being a couple weeks away. He'd have to make sure she was fully prepared to begin her education, make friends, and become a well-adjusted child who didn't brood and daydream of hostile takeovers. The basic supplies were simple enough to arrange, but he also noticed the few dresses she wore were starting to get a little tight. She'd be needing new garments, and decided to take her to the royal dressmaker Madame Collette for a fitting and to place an order.

"A bit unusual to see you Monsieur Cedric," Madame Collette said when the two arrived for the appointment.

"Oh no, you're not seeing me," Cedric said, inching Sofia forward. "Her."

"Oh! Is zis your little girl? La mademoiselle Sofia?" The older woman fawned. "My, she is precious."

"And starting school in two weeks," Cedric informed the seamstress with a proud smirk.

Sofia smiled. "Mr. Cedric said I can have a brand new dress!"

"Zen I will need your measurements, mon Cherie," Collette smiled and guided the girl into the platform in the center of her salon so she could take the necessary measurements.

Cedric waited until one of the Madame's tailors was jotting down extra information from Sofia such as her favorite colors and patterns to beckon Collette back to him. "Madame Collette, I know I don't know much about little girl's fashion, and granted Sofia is not a princess, but her birthday is in the start of October and I was thinking she might like a ballgown. Would that be possible?"

"Oui, monsieur. I do delight in designing dresses for ze little girls. She will be well clothed, I assure you," she smiled. "What about yourself? Shouldn't Papa think about a new robe? A new cravat?"

Cedric blushed at the mention of the word for father, earning a giggle from the seamstress.

"It becomes you more elegantly zan you know, Monsieur," she said with a sly smile before returning to her assistant and Sofia.

Sofia kept professing her gratitude for her many new dresses that arrived just in time for school the first week of September. Cedric walked her to the school house himself, knowing this was an important milestone a typical parent would be a part of, but still felt like the odd one out hugging a child who looked nothing like him before sending her off with the other children. He knew as well as anyone how standing out slightly from the norm in one's youth tended to attract the wrong sort of attention. He could handle it, somewhat, but what about Sofia?

"Wormwood," Cedric held up his arm for the nearby Raven to perch to. "Ah, there you are. Do me a favor and watch over her today, will you?"

Wormwood cocked his head to the side, questioning why he should waste his time doing such a thing.

"Just to make sure she adjusts alright. This has been a busy year for Sofia and I want the rest of it to go as smoothly as possible."

The raven cawed his consent and flew up to the roof of the school house to perch for the day while Cedric returned to his tower to work until it was time to pick her up.

Sofia fit in rather well, recognizing two girls from the village even whom she quickly befriended. She was excited to learn something, but found a kindergarten education seemed to only cover what she already knew along with lots of arts and crafts, which was fun, but she thought she'd be learning to read harder words or maybe brew her first potion like Mr. Cedric.

"But that's magic stuff, Sofia," Jade explained to her at recess. "You don't learn that here."

"I don't?" Sofia said sadly.

"Yeah, there's some special school for magic where you go to learn that stuff," Ruby informed her.

"Oh, I wonder why Mr. Cedric didn't send me there…" Sofia pondered.

"Why do you call him 'Mr. Cedric'?" Jade asked. "He's your dad, isn't he?"

"He says he's my 'legal guardian'," Sofia elaborated.

"What's that?" Ruby asked.

"It means he's my parent now since my real mom and dad are dead," Sofia said with the odd smile to her face. She missed her mother of course and barely remember her birth father, but she was happy with Cedric and grateful he'd taken her in, so she didn't see what there was to keep being sad about.

Her friends were intrigued and quite curious to see this royal sorcerer Sofia had been taken in by and waited eagerly with her for the man to arrive to pick her up, which he did promptly at 1 o'clock, Wormwood swooping down from the bell tower to escape the chime and land on his master's shoulder.

"That's Mr. Cedric," Sofia pointed out proudly, much to the dismayed Ruby and Jade.

"Sofia, he looks really creepy," Jade whispered.

"Why is there a crow on his shoulder?" Ruby whispered also.

"That's Wormwood. He's a raven, and Mr. Cedric's familiar, it's like a pet who's also your partner," Sofia explained.

"And you live with that guy?" Jade gulped nervously.

"Yup!"

"Sofia!" Cedric called over to her, sounding gruff due to his impatience. "Don't dawdle, child! I have a potion simmering!"

"He sounds mean…" Ruby commented.

"He's really nice," Sofia said as she inched away. "I gotta go now but I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Okay," Jade nodded while Ruby waved.

"Bye Sofia."

"Byebye!" Sofia turned and ran straight for Cedric's legs, hugging them tight before taking hold of the man's hand for their walk back to the castle.

"You had a good day, my dear?" He asked.

"Yes!" Sofia beamed, a little skip in her step as they walked back, though it didn't take long for her to compose herself and begin an important inquiry. "Mr. Cedric, I have a question: Why aren't I going to magic school?"

"Magic school?"

"Yeah, I thought I'd get to learn to do stuff like you do."

"Oh, you'd have to go to Hexley Hall for that sort of training."

"And? Why aren't I going there?"

"You… want to be a sorcerer?" Cedric paused and looked down at her. Did this child really want to emulate him? HIM?

"Can I?" Sofia asked.

"Err, well, I suppose if you want, but kindergarten at Hexley Hall doesn't teach any spells or potions either so why don't you do one year here? Seems you already made some friends."

"Yes! And I have another question!"

Wanting to encourage a curious mind, Cedric smiled. "And what is it?"

"Why don't I call you 'dad'?"

"…I guess because it's not something I particularly wanted or felt necessary…" he answered slowly.

"Why not? You're my dad now, aren't you?"

"In some sense I suppose, but I don't want you to feel obligated to acknowledge me as such if I don't turn out to be a good one…" he admitted, his own insecurities with his own father bubbling at the surface of his mind.

Yes, Goodwyn the Great was firm and loving, but not very encouraging. His own accomplishments made the man arrogant and boastful of his great deeds which included saving King Roland I's life nine and a half times. Cedric's own glory was to be eternally cast in his father's shadow, and made none the easier to bear seeing how his father fawned over his sister, believing the girl could do no wrong when she did plenty wrong and was simply never caught.

His mother wasn't much better a role model, a semi-reformed wicked woman who encouraged wrongdoings and loved him all the more for them. Her morale blind spot left little room for parental guidance down a proper path, making life far more confusing for Cedric as he was pulled between the darkness and the light. It even showed in his hair, the stress resulting in a spell gone wrong that turned his bangs white when he was only seven years old and he'd been two-toned ever since, giving school bullies one more reason to mark him an easy target.

So no, he didn't want a man like him to be addressed as a father. Mr. Cedric was already a second-rate sorcerer no one appreciated. Any mess ups on his part would be understandable, but "Dad"… he didn't want Sofia's "Dad" to fall into that same category. He wasn't worthy of such a roll, and besides, for the most part he despised children. It'd simply be too weird to have such a title.

"I think you're a good one," Sofia brought the silence and looked up him with a warm smile. "Mr. Cedric."

"If you say so, Sofia," he smiled back and they continued walking home. He thought 'Mr. Cedric' sounded cuter anyway, not that he'd ever admit it.

* * *

Author's Note: Another lil chapter. Sofia is gonna start growing up. This fluff is killing me, but I love it.


	4. Chapter 4

Cedric's confidence liked to waver between completely useless and the world's greatest, the latter occurring a month later on Sofia's sixth birthday when he presented her the fancy dress he had commissioned for her. After his ear drums stopped ringing from her delighted squeal, he helped her change into it, figuring he ought to learn how to deal with lacework himself. It was a lovely little gown, lavender and light pink in color with pouf sleeves and a white flower like pattern along the hem.

Sofia hugged him so tight he swore she might cut off circulation if the embrace lasted longer than a few seconds, which thankfully it didn't.

He must be doing alright as a parent, he figured. Kindergarten was going well, he made sure they ate dinner together, and always read to her before bedtime. His own parents were surprised upon meeting their new granddaughter that the child hadn't any complaints about their son, not that Sofia would be the sort, but she wasn't very good at hiding her feelings if she was truly upset with something. She easily won over Goodwyn and Winifred with her natural charm, and was happy to experience the joys of having grandparents, something her immigrant parents hadn't offered, and there was the added benefit of both being sorcerers as well.

"She wants to enroll in Hexley Hall next year," Cedric informed his father as they let Winifred fawn over Sofia in the living room while the two men went to Goodwyn's study. "I'll send her, but I wanted your opinion as a sorcerer about realistic expectations."

"She's never experienced magic before, correct?" Goodwyn queried.

"No, and I think it's a safe bet there's never been a practitioner in her family either."

"Hm, most likely she'll be a completely blank canvas then which may work in her favor. Have you worked with her at all?"

"I read her spell books sometimes and she's learning the basic terminology. Nothing they wouldn't cover in Hexley Hall's kindergarten course."

"Just as well. Probably a good thing to wait to start her next year. I'd be willing to give her lessons until then. You have your duties as Royal Sorcerer you need to attend to."

"You did both," Cedric reminded him.

"Yes, but I am an exceptional sorcerer, son. I wouldn't want your split focus to lead to anything unfortunate."

Cedric frowned, but swallowed his rebuttal. He never gained much by arguing with his father.

As if sensing his inner distress, the door to the study cracked open and Sofia poked her head in. "Mr. Cedric?"

"Yes child, what is it?" Cedric turned to scoop her up into his arms as she walked towards him, yawning and rubbing her eyes, shortly followed after by Winifred with a motherly smile on her face as she watched both the girl and her son.

"I'm sleepy," Sofia answered, curling up against his shoulder.

"Then I suppose we ought to head home, shouldn't we?" Cedric smiled watching her nestle against him, answering with a soft 'mn' and a nod of her head. Cedric glanced back to his father and gave a nod to the older man. "It is getting late. Thanks to both of you for helping me give her a decent birthday party."

"Of course, dear," Winifred smiled and tugged Cedric down to kiss both his cheek and Sofia's. "Have a safe ride back."

"We will, Mummy," Cedric nodded. He would have teleported using their magical portrait if it were just him, but Sofia was far too young with no magical experience to make such a method possible, and so they took a carriage home after a quick nod to his father.

Sofia slept the entire way, her excitement spent over her dress and the yummy sweets Winifred had made for her. She'd even bought the girl a new doll with an enchanted dress that changed colors when the doll's chest was pressed. He placed the toy next to her in bed when they came back home and he used a spell to swap her dress for her nightgown.

"Happy birthday, Sofia," Cedric whispered near her ear before kissing her forehead goodnight.

She smiled in her sleep and nestled further into her bedding, comfortable and secure.

It helped Cedric retain his smile long enough until he was back in his workshop, Wormwood now on his shoulder to receive some attention from the now brooding sorcerer.

"We'll show Father, won't we Wormy? I'm by far a better parent than he was, and as a teacher I'll make Sofia the greatest sorceress this world has ever known!" Cedric declared with the utmost confidence.

The raven cawed in agreement, liking the underlying villainy in Cedric's conviction.

Sofia remained blissfully unaware of her magical guardian's ambition to prove himself (and her) to others, it being a side of himself he knew wasn't appropriate for the child to witness, not with the intensity of his desire and the moral ambiguity when it came to achieving his goal. Maybe when she was older and able to comprehend the grayer areas of life. For now, he just wanted her to be a happy and healthy little girl.

With the chill weather settling in and Sofia mingling in the very public setting of school, it wasn't a unthinkable that she'd catch a cold, but it was another situation Cedric wasn't quite sure how to deal with.

She'd managed to pull herself out of bed and get dressed, but one look at her that morning and he knew she wasn't feeling well, her lack of pep being a red flag in and of itself.

"Oh no, little one, you're going right back to bed," he insisted, picking her up to return her to her bed chamber.

"I'm a lil tired, but I'm okay…" Sofia insisted, her voice lightly hoarse.

"Then take the day to rest," he said, changing her back into her pjs, and tucking her under the covers. He removed one of his gloves from his hand and pressed it to her forehead to check for a fever. She was warm, but not unreasonably so. Probably just a good cold given her sniffling and slight cough. "We'll get you some soup and some lemon tea with honey, alright?"

"Alright…" She smiled up at him as weakly as she sounded.

Not being a medical expert, Cedric thought it best he get the opinion of the castle's royal physician – it was the man's job after all and briefly excused himself from Sofia's room to write and poof a message to the man. He hurried back up the stairs upon hearing Sofia's coughing fits become more frequent and refused to leave her bedside out of worry for her.

"Don't you have work…?" She asked after he'd been with her a while.

"Never you mind about that, child," he assured her before glancing at the door wondering where the hell the Dr. Ashcroft was.

"I'm so tired from coughing… it hurts too…"

Cedric willed the doctor to appear so he could do something for the girl. He could help set her body to cure itself, but he needed to know what illness he was dealing with to brew or cast an effective potion or spell. His best guess at this point was bronchitis. He could probably diagnose her if he were willing to leave her side to do the necessary spell work, but leaving her alone seemed unwise.

Finally, there was a knock at the door and the royal physician entered. "Forgive the delay. One of the coachman had his foot stomped on by one of the winged horses."

"Yes, yes," Cedric dismissed and gave the man some room between him and Sofia. "Just hurry and tell me what she needs."

"It's alright, Cedric," Ashcroft smiled as he gently encouraged Sofia sit up so he could feel her lymph nodes before checking her lungs with his stethoscope. "Children get sick. You shouldn't worry so much."

"First time parent," Cedric reminded the man.

"Can you cough for me, Miss Sofia?" Ashcroft asked and listened carefully as Sofia produced a cough. "Hm… oh dear…"

"'Oh dear'?!" Cedric repeated.

"It's pneumonia. Her lungs are rattling," he sighed and put the stethoscope back around his neck before lifting his medical bag onto the bed. "I'll give her the antibiotic shot."

"Shot?" Sofia whimpered nervously and Cedric pushed in front of Ashcroft to comfort her.

"It's the quickest way to have you feeling better, my dear," he pulled her onto his lap to distract as Ashcroft readied the needle and swabbed her arm. "You just look at me and breathe as deeply as you can."

"But it hurts…"

"I know it does, sweetheart," he said comfortingly, moving his hand to brush her bangs back as well as block her peripheral from the needle approaching her arm. "Can you breathe with me? In…"

Sofia listened and inhaled as best she could.

"Now as hard as you can, out," Cedric instructed and she obeyed, flinching slightly upon feeling the needle but pushing through it with her breath. Then it was over. "Good girl."

"Do you have anything pre-brewed for stamina?" Ashcroft asked, as he withdrew the syringe and wrapped it in a thick cloth to put back in his bag.

"Yes. What dosage do you recommend?"

"I'd say one drop in a cup of tea. Best maybe an hour from now. It should give her body the extra strength it needs to fight this off. Take some yourself, you likely were exposed and just might not be sick yet. I'd stay away from sleeping draughts for the time being, but a tonic to soothe her throat shouldn't hurt," the physician explained as he gathered his things and then looked to Sofia before leaving. "You can stop by my office for a lollipop once you're better, Sofia. I owe you one."

"Okay," Sofia smiled, her voice still weak, but her spirit already improving. "Thank you."

"Yes, thank you, Ashcroft," Cedric nodded to the man.

"You're welcome," the man gave them an amiable smile and then excused himself.

Sofia snuggled closer to Cedric, liking his closeness especially now when she felt so weak and in need of him. In truth, she really wanted her mother right now, but knew that wasn't possible. Cedric was still good though, his voice far more comforting and gentle today. It reminded her of her mother somewhat.

"I'll have to go downstairs briefly to get that potion," he told her, adjusting himself on her bed so he was seated right next to her with his legs stretched out on the mattress. "But for the moment, I'm staying right here with you, alright?"

"Mhm," she nodded against his chest as Cedric heaved a sigh of relief. "…Are you alright, Mr. Cedric?"

"I'm not accustomed to worrying so much about someone, Sofia. All I want is for you to be a happy, healthy girl and when you're not, well… I feel like I've failed you."

"I don't think so…" she paused to cough briefly. "We all get sick sometimes…"

Cedric managed a smile and stroked over her hair to soothe her. "You're awfully wise for one so young, aren't you?"

"That's why I'm 'Sofia'," she smiled at him, knowing well the meaning of her name. "Hey… What does 'Cedric' mean…?"

Cedric's cheeks turned red and he slowly averted his eyes. He liked the phonetics of his name well enough, but the meaning of it hardly suited him in his opinion. "Kind and loved…"

Sofia's smile widened, though she said nothing, which made him even more self-conscious.

"Oh, you focus on getting better and not that ridiculous grin," he tried to scold her, but ended up pulling her closer as another coughing fit overtook her.

Reluctant to leave her knowing the severity of her affliction, he bundled her up into his robe while he made the necessary potions to aid in her recovery which Sofia honestly didn't mind as curling up in Cedric's magical pocket dimension made her feel like a baby kangaroo, a thought that never failed to amuse her. He'd have to enchant a robe for her as well, he reckoned, thinking it might make for a nice Wassalia present in the coming month.

When they returned to bed, he kicked off his loafers and removed his robe entirely. He wasn't going to get any more work done over worry for Sofia, so he joined her in her sick bed with a few books to pass the time as she slept off her illness curled up at his side.

* * *

Author's Note: I haven't forgotten about any of my stories. My muse is just fickle. Sorry for delays. Hope it was worth the wait.


	5. Chapter 5

Sofia's health recovered after a few more days of rest, and come the end of the month, she was in proper form again and excited for trick-or-treating in the village, an event Cedric reluctantly agreed to on the condition Sofia pick a costume that would keep her warm given her recent recovery. She went with a cat, not exactly the scariest of creatures, but Cedric didn't think the six-year-old was capable of a successful fright. She was still too adorable, even more so when she slumped away from her fifth house with her lips pouted and cheeks pink with embarrassment.

"Tricks again, huh?" Cedric offered an understanding smile as she reached the edge of the property.

"I don't get it. I get scared when a cat jumps out and hisses at me," Sofia said to her fluffy paws.

"Adults are slightly harder to scare, my dear," he reminded her.

"I know…" Sofia sighed. "What are you scared of Mr. Cedric?"

"Never escaping my father's shadow," Cedric said bluntly, not that Sofia could understand the true depths of that fear and she kept her head bowed. "Not to worry, Sofia. There'll be plenty of candy at the castle."

"That's not the point! You're supposed to earn it!" She told the sorcerer. "It's your fault my costume isn't scary enough…"

"You just got over pneumonia, child, and the air is cold tonight. I'll not have you getting sick again," Cedric said, proud of himself for sounding quite like a parent much to his child's dismay, but he knew her stubbornness wouldn't let them return home early, so a new plan of action was needed. "How about this?"

Sofia looked up as Cedric drew his wand from his sleeve and waved it above himself before tapping his head and changing his clothes to rags stuffed with straw and a worn hat appearing over his mismatched hair.

Wormwood flapped his wings and cawed in surprise to find his master had become a scarecrow, but returned to the man's shoulder when he recalled he was in fact, a raven.

Sofia's jaw dropped as it always did when he performed magic for her, but this was the first time she'd seen him cast a spell on himself. "Wow…!"

"It's suitable enough, isn't it?" He asked, sliding his wand back into his sleeve and picking at some of the straw at his wrist. "I shall help you spook, scare, and frighten to your heart's content."

"Yay!" Sofia smiled and hugged his leg. "Thank you, Mr. Cedric!"

"But of course," he grinned, confident Sofia would no longer have trouble obtaining treats now.

And she didn't, not with Cedric meandering behind her at the next few houses, eyeing the residents almost threateningly. Wormwood even helped by lowering his head and cawing darkly, making Cedric's subsequent approach and grabbing of the little lavender kitten frightening for the witnesses who feared the possibilities of what could happen next. It was sufficient for decent treats according to the scare meter, finally putting Sofia in a better mood when Cedric put her down and handed her a growing bag of candy.

"Should we think about going home?" Cedric suggested, the straw in his costume had begun to itch and he was eager to get it off.

"Aw, do we have to?" Sofia pleaded with those big blue eyes of hers.

"The village only has so many houses, child," he chuckled. "Alright, one more block, then we need to go home."

"'Kay," Sofia agreed, tagging along with Cedric to the next block where the next house yielded a familiar face.

"Why, hello Sofia!" A dark skinned woman greeted her warmly.

"Hi Mrs. Hanshaw!" Sofia beamed as the woman turned to Cedric.

"And you must be Sofia's guardian. Nice to meet you. I'm Helen Hanshaw. My daughter, Ruby, attends school with Sofia."

"Cedric the Sorcerer," Cedric gave a slight bow to the woman, but was unsure of what else to say to the woman.

"So you are a real sorcerer then? How fascinating. You're quite the topic of discussion amongst our children, you know," Helen said with a soft laugh, unknowingly luring out Cedric's ego.

"Well, it's not every day a child finds themselves in the presence of Enchancia's premiere royal sorcerer," Cedric basked in the attention leaving Sofia to wonder if he'd forgotten their original purpose. Adults could natter on for ages and she knew her guardian well enough to know if the topic was himself, she'd be here a while.

"Hey! Sofiaaaaaaaa!" A familiar voice called from across the street and Sofia stepped off the Hanshaw porch to see Jade, Ruby, and a few other friends from school going house to house in their own costumes.

"Hi guys!" Sofia looked both ways before crossing the street to meet the group.

"We just finished with Ruby's block and we're going over to mine now, wanna come?" Jade asked.

Sofia glanced back at Cedric and Mrs. Hanshaw, still deep in conversation from the looks of things, and turned her head back without thinking twice. "Sure!"

Wormwood had fallen asleep on Cedric's shoulder only to be stirred awake by a rush of trick-or-treater's to Mrs. Hanshaw's door who didn't think twice about interrupting adults' talking. Startled back as Helen tended to the group, Cedric looked around for Sofia, but didn't see any trace of lavender in the crowd.

"Mrs. Hanshaw, do you see Sofia?" Cedric called over the noisy kids.

"She's not with you?" The woman called back.

Cedric didn't have any time to be mad as he ran down the street looking on both sides for the girl. She was usually so good about not wandering off, he never needed to keep a strict watch on her, but now he was regretting that decision.

Wormwood took to the air for a bird's eye view of the block, but came up empty handed and decided to fly over to the next, quickly spotting the girl amongst her group of friends and diving for her costume's tail and catching it in his talons, adding a scolding caw to the girl as he tried to pull her away from the group.

"Oh!" Sofia gasped and turned around just as one of the boys swatted his candy bag against the unsuspecting raven.

"Hey, leave her alone!"

"W-Wait! That's Wormwood!" She intervened, coming between the boy and the raven and letting the bird perch on her head and give the boy an angry caw. "He belongs to my guardian! He's not attacking me!"

"He isn't?"

"He doesn't look like he was being playful with you either," Ruby said in their classmate's defense.

"…I think Mr. Cedric is looking for me," Sofia admitted. "I should go."

"Go? But you just got here!" Jade said.

"I know, but if Wormwood's here, it means Mr. Cedric's worried," Sofia said knowingly and waved good-bye to her friends to return to the previous block where they met Cedric on the way, looking out of breath and panic stricken.

"Sofia!" He cried with relief when he saw her and Wormwood took off as the man ran towards them, not wanting to be caught up in the tight hug that followed after he dropped to his knees to get hold of her. "Where were you?!"

"I-I saw my friends and they were only going to next block over and…" Sofia paused. She'd never seen the sorcerer this upset before, he was trembling and clutching her uncomfortably tight, but it was the wetness against her cheek that surprised her most. "…Mr. Cedric, are you crying?"

"Don't you ever do that to me again!" He scolded, ignoring her question, but he was indeed crying from pure relief knowing she was alright. It was amazing the sheer number of horrors he'd imagined in the brief minutes during their separation, all now vanished back to the dark recesses of his mind with her safe in his arms. "If anything were to happen to you I'd never forgive myself!"

"I… I'm sorry…" Sofia sniffled, feeling her own tears welling up. She expected a scolding, but this was worse somehow, and yet… not. She accepted the tight hug and clutched onto him to help assure him she was indeed there with him. "I won't do it again, I promise. Please don't cry."

"I'll cry if I want to," Cedric said stubbornly, pushing back the hood of her costume to stroke her hair and plant a kiss to her cheek. "I'm glad you're safe."

Sofia nodded her head as Cedric stood upright, intent on carrying her.

"That's quite enough scares for tonight. We're going home and you're going straight to bed, young lady."

"…That's fair," Sofia agreed, not one to fight her punishments.

Cedric couldn't help but snort a laugh. Sofia had her moments, but at the end of the she truly was a good child. He was likely the one who still needed work on being a parent.

* * *

Author's Note: A slightly shorter than I want chapter, but the mood switches again in the next chapter. Writing these chapters, I'm thinking this story is only gonna cover the first year of Sofia and Cedric's daughter-father relationship so we still have a few holidays and anniversaries to cover. Also desperately trying to think of a more proper title...


	6. Chapter 6

Exchanging his usual attire for an ensemble of black and grey, Cedric heaved a dreary sigh. He wasn't looking forward to this, but this was for Sofia, he told himself and he combed his hair back with his fingers, now looking far more somber than usual and far less talkative.

The weather wasn't cooperating with the mood either, the first of November proving to be a cold, damp day with lingering frost over the grave markers and their breath visible in the air. Cedric led Sofia by the hand to a row of pauper's crosses in the year of cemetery and stopped at the sole stone slab a few paces off the main path.

"In loving memory of… Birk Balthasar and his wife, Miranda Cordova," Sofia slowly read before looking up at Cedric. "Papa didn't have a grave marker, Mr. Cedric. He died at sea."

"I know, but I thought it'd mean more to you to have them both 'here' in a sense," he gently explained as he knelt in front of the grave and tapped his wand to it, springing up fresh flowers to decorate the stone. "I made sure your mother was interned properly. I can't be certain if this would have been to her taste, so I went with something simple."

Sofia reached her small hands out to touch the slab as if she were inspecting it like a professional rock cutter. "It looks nice. It won't fade away easily…"

"That's right," he assured her with a pat to her head. "And now you know where she is so you can visit when you need to."

"Thank you," Sofia nodded her head and turned to hug him immediately.

Cedric wondered if it was a mistake to bring her here, perhaps he should have waited another year or two so she might understand better, but strangely enough, he suspected she did understand, at least in the sense this was more for her than it was either of her parents – people Cedric had never even met.

As Sofia snuggled closer, Cedric picked her up and tucked her within his coat, helping to keep both of them warm.

"Is there anything you want to say to them, Sofia?" He asked.

Sofia thought for a moment before looking down at the stone. "Don't worry. Mr. Cedric's taking really good care of me."

Cedric silently thought the same, hoping he had the blessing of the two spirits to continue raising their daughter as his own. Hopefully she'd turn out all right despite her past trauma and having him for a guardian. It wasn't like Cedric to be so optimistic, but the alternative was not a future he desired for Sofia.

Sofia reclined her head against his shoulder and heaved a little sigh. "Okay, can we go home now?"

He nodded and set her back down on the ground, but kept ahold of her hand as they exited the cemetery. "Hm, it's still a little early. How about brunch? I'll conjure some golden berry pancakes."

"Oo!" Sofia jumped at his arm. "Yummy! Yes, please!"

"Yes, yes, keep your composure, child, I'll deliver what I promise."

"Yay!" She beamed and tugged him along at a quicker pace, eager to return to the castle for the aforementioned pancakes.

Yes, certainly she'd be alright, Cedric smiled.

* * *

With the days growing colder, it wasn't long before snow covered the kingdom, much to Sofia's delight. Recess at school was spent having snowball fights and making snowmen, while the grounds outside Cedric's tower had a snow fort the sorcerer had a difficult time getting her out of at the end of the day.

"You're going to get sick again," Cedric warned as he waved his wand to dry her coat, mittens, boots, and hat before hanging them up by the door.

"But it's fun!" Sofia offered in defense as Cedric waved his wand again to conjure a warm blanket around the little girl.

He bent down and pulled the ends of the blanket together below her chin, eyeing her cherry red nose and cheeks. Coupled with the few melting snowflakes in her hair, she reminded him a sugar plum and couldn't help the smile it gave him. "More fun than hot chocolate and a story with your favorite sorcerer?"

Sofia beamed and quickly shook her head. "No way!"

Their evenings together were quiet, usually spent reading or playing a game by the fireplace in the inner tower chambers. After getting ready for bed, all that was left was one last tale or spell depending on Sofia's preference before bed, but the thought of sugar plums reminded Cedric of the approaching holiday.

"Have you thought about what you'd like for Wassailia?" He asked before beginning the book on his lap.

"Mm… What do you want, Mr. Cedric?" She deflected with a warm smile.

"I want to get _you_ something," he redirected, touching his pointer finger to her nose and earning a giggle from the girl, but no response. "Surely there's something you'd like."

"I'm sure I'll like whatever you give me," she gave him a hopeful smile, yet her eyes pleaded for him not to push the issue.

Cedric put an arm around her, pulling her against his side to offer a reassuring hug. "Alright. I just want to make sure you know it's okay to ask me for things."

"I know," she said, still softly, before burrowing her head against him and clinging to his pajamas.

"…What is it, Sofia?" He prodded as gently as possible.

She didn't answer him.

Cedric rubbed her back while his mind tried to deduce the problem.

The first of anything without a loved one was surely difficult for the young girl, but she'd handled her birthday well, so he wasn't sure if her mother's absence was the main issue. Perhaps it had something to do with Wassailia's many traditions. Those unique to Sofia's own household might not feel right celebrated with him, and suggesting they make their own tradition right out might make her feel like he was excluding her late mother. The more he thought on the subject, the less confident he was in finding a solution on his own.

"Um… well then, your story," He cleared his throat and drew his hands to the book on his lap. For now, he'd read to her and revisit the subject tomorrow when they both were fresher of mind and body.

Sofia was obviously tired, falling asleep before he finished the story.

He tucked the covers up around her and planted a kiss on her forehead, then lingered a moment to stroke back a lock of hair and heave a quiet sigh. This wasn't just parenting he was doing, but grief counseling, something he had just as much experience with.

* * *

His mother paid another visit for tea and a talk while Sofia was at school, but was unsure of what advice she could offer that Cedric would accept.

"Once a full year has passed, it won't be as awkward Ceddykins. I know it's troubling, but she must grieve in her own way."

"Yes, the books I've read on the matter state the very same, but shouldn't I try to make our first Wassailia together a happy one?"

"And it's a lovely thought dear, but you seem to be forgetting the harsh reality of things. I think the harder you try, the worse you'll make Sofia feel for not enjoying herself. Why don't you let her be in charge of your plans this year? Set the pace of things. That way you can't under or over do it."

"Hm, I suppose that sounds reasonable," Cedric agreed.

Winifred smiled and floated up to pinch her son's cheek. "You're doing fine, Cedric. Don't worry so much about making everything perfect for her. The best thing a parent can be is supportive."

"R-Right," Cedric blushed, rubbing his pinched cheek as the woman floated near the portrait painting she and her husband often teleported through. "I'll let you know what we'll be up to then."

"Give Sofia an extra tight hug and kiss from me~!" the older woman sang as she vanished into the painting.

* * *

Author's Note: I keep seeing how many people subscribe to this one and want to update it with only my best, buttttttt... I haven't liked anything I've written in months. Nothin' in the romance nor the cutesy side. It's hell, but since I am my own worst critic, it might not read as bad as I think it does. The first part was written to go a day after Halloween, but obviously that didn't work out. I can't write to a schedule. And this is obviously supposed to be for a Christmas update that never happened either. It is what it is. Chances are once I have the whole story finished I'll be able to give it a good edit and tidy it up into something more presentable, but for now this is all I can give.


	7. Chapter 7

Within the Dunwiddie school house, Sofia's usual cheerfulness was noticeably absent. Yes, she raised her hand and participated in class, but her enthusiasm was gone and her mind wandering elsewhere when given the opportunity. She sat in her little desk where her feet couldn't yet touch the ground, head resting on her folded arms come break time.

"What's the matter, Sofia?" the teacher asked since most of the students had dispersed to give the two some privacy.

"Nothing…" She breathed out. "Just miss my mom…"

"Oh dear," she said, leaning down to further console her. "Is there anything I can do?"

Sofia shook her head despite not raising it from the desk.

"…Sofia, I know things are hard for you right now, but you can talk to me. I certainly have more expertise with children than your guardian does," she said, not meaning any malice toward Cedric, but the fact of the matter was he'd only had the child for six months while she'd been teaching for over six years now. Not to mention Sofia might need an older female to talk to, not a male. "Maybe I can help."

"Mr. Cedric is great," Sofia piped up in his defense. "He hasn't done anything wrong… which is why I feel bad…"

"How so?"

"It's Wassailia soon… I know he wants it to be happy, but I don't feel happy about it… just sad… Wassailia was so much fun with my mom, but she's not here… I don't wanna make Mr. Cedric sad too… so I'm hoping if I'm sad now, maybe I won't be on Wassailia…"

Her teacher smiled at the innocence of that statement. "I don't think it's going to work that way."

Sofia's arms clenched tighter around her head.

"I'm guessing you haven't told Mr. Cedric how you feel?"

Her head shook again.

"Well, don't you think maybe you should? He's gonna notice you aren't your cheerful self and he'll worry, you know."

"But I don't want to make him worry… or sad…!"

The teacher sucked in her lower lip, chewing nervously. There didn't seem to be any easy way of conversing over the harsh realities of life. She just might have to talk Cedric herself.

"Mr. Goodwyn, may I speak to you a moment?" She was quick to grab the royal sorcerer's attention when he arrived to pick Sofia up. He didn't like to dawdle, usually ushering the girl out under his arm in a few quick seconds.

Cedric cringed. He hated hearing his surname, along with being detoured from his usual departure. "Yes, what is it?"

"Sofia, would you go play a moment while I talk to your guardian?" The woman instructed and Sofia complied, moving to the play-corner of the classroom to busy herself with some toy or game.

"Did something happen? Is Sofia alright?" Cedric asked as he and the teacher sat down at the front of the classroom. Sofia did well in school, he didn't think he'd have to concern himself with her studies until she was much older.

The teacher cut right to the chase, explaining what Sofia had told her earlier and how the girl hadn't been herself the past few days. It was news to Cedric. Yes, she's been a little off whenever the subject of the holiday came up, but otherwise she seemed like her normal self. With this revelation, he put his head into his hands and heaved a heavy sigh.

"What am I going to do? I know the holidays were going to be hard, but I thought she finally understood she can confide in me..."

"It takes time, Mr. Goodwyn."

"Yes, but I'd like to think I would've noticed she was putting up an act at times. She's tried to do so before... I didn't think she'd get better at it," he slowly sat upright and dragged his hands down his cheeks before putting them back on his lap. He took a side glance to the corner to see if Sofia was indeed playing, but she too was turning her head to look at them - a concerned expression across her face to see him looking more frustrated than his usual. He forced a smile and gave a friendly, reassuring wave to her, thankfully putting her at ease enough to go back to play and return him to the impromptu conference. "It makes me question if I'm a suitable parent for her..."

"Sofia's a very kind child. She doesn't yet understand the necessity of anger and sorrow. She's not doing because she doesn't trust you, she simply doesn't want to make you sad too."

"Yes, well, I'd rather be sad _with_ her than frustrated I can't help her," he huffed, now crossing his arms.

"And I'd tell her that. Whatever she's feeling, she needs to be able to express it. The fact that she's already internalizing at such a young age also concerns me. I can only so much in the classroom, Mr. Goodwyn."

"I know," Cedric nodded. "I do talk to her a fair bit, but I confess I never push the harsher topics... I wait for her to come to me, but if she's not doing that... Argh, I'm just so worried I won't approach it right and make it worse than it needs to be."

"I'd recommend having a lot of fun together before you bring it up. Let it be fresh in her mind how much you love and care for her so approaching those harsher topics won't be so scary."

As if sensing his hesitation, Cedric suddenly felt Sofia's little hands tugging on the sleeve of his robe. "Mr. Cedric, I'm hungry. Are we going home soon?"

"Yes, I think we're about done," he glanced to the teacher who gave an affirmative nod.

"We'll see you tomorrow, Sofia," she smiled and waved as Cedric let the child pull him from his seat.

"Byebye!" Sofia waved as Cedric fetched her coat and got her bundled up before the two headed for home. "...I'm not in trouble, am I?"

"Hm?" Cedric glanced down at her and chuckled. "No, child. Your teacher just wanted to talk to me about how you're doing."

"Oh," she said and was quiet for a moment until she looked back up at him. "I'm alright, Mr. Cedric."

He knew she wanted that to be true, so he wouldn't contradict her, rather, he paused their walk and knelt down in front of her and pulled her into a tight hug, her head tucked on his shoulder and Cedric nuzzling closer. Being this affectionate was still foreign to him, even a bit uncomfortable, but he knew his actions would convey far more than words to the young girl.

"Mr. Cedric...?" Sofia repeated, not sure why she was being hugged so out of the blue.

The villagers on the street every now and then paused to look at the scene and exchange whispers about what was going on, but the two were indifferent to their stares.

The embrace lasted a good minute or so before Cedric finally eased his squeeze and lent back, offering her a smile. "Alright, what do you want for dinner?"

"Fish!" She responded with prompt enthusiasm, while Cedric only sighed at the thought of his body struggling to digest seafood, but he couldn't well refuse her request.

"Fish it is then," he offered his hand which she immediately grasped and clung to as they headed for home.

* * *

A/N: Sorry it's been a while and I know it's short, but I wanna build on the first Wassailia and this helps bridge what I have in mind.


End file.
